Pivoted link jar cap wrench with resilient shoes



NOV. 20, 1951 I M, FREDHOLM 2,575,950

PIVOTED LINK JAR CAP WRENCH WITH RESILIENT SHOES Filed 001;. ll, 1948 o Zzgl 20 Z5 Patented Nov. 20, 1951 OFFICE PIVOTED LINK JAR CAP WRENCH WITH RESILIENT SHOES Henry M. Fredholm, Midlothian, Ill.

Application October 11, 1948, Serial No. 53,910

2 Claims. (Cl. 813.44)

This invention relates to a jar closure wrench, and is more particularly concerned with a wrench of the self-gripping type which generally embodies curved gripping arms pivotally connected together at two of their adjacent ends and having their other adjacent endsl pivotally and slidably connected with a leverage member usually provided by the shank of an operating handle for the wrench.

Various forms of Wrenches of this general character have heretofore been provided and proposed. Of the prior constructions of this general form of wrench, some thereof comprise only the relatively rigid arcuate closure encircling arms as the actual closure gripping members. This form of wrench fails to provide maximum efficiency for the reason that the arcuate arms are relatively narrow and accordingly grip the closure in a very limited circumferential area thereof, with a resulting likelihood of denting and therefore damaging the closure and rendering it useless for further use. Furthermore, this form of wrench fails to provide a uniform grip on the closure throughout its circumference even though the two `pivoted arms may be truly circular in a given position of the wrench,` particularly if the closures vary any in their circumferential contour and extent. A

Others of the prior forms of wrenches of this general type `comprise various combinations of arcuate arms with other gripping members, but these constructions also fail to provide maximum efliciency which requires that the closure be gripped over a substantial area thereof to prevent damage thereto and also that it be gripped uniformly in a circumferential direction for facilitating easy application of closures to jars as well as their removal therefrom.

It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide a jar closure wrench which is of maximum eliiciency in operation and which overcomes the above enumerated objections to prior structures of this kind.

A further object of the invention is to provide a jar closure wrench of the self-gripping type which is formed to provide uniform gripping contact with a jar closure over substantial circumferential areas thereof and throughout the entire depth of the closure. I

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved wrench as observed from one side thereof;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the Wrench in an expanded position and illustrating in particular the action of the pivoted yieldable gripping members in their capability of assuming arcs of a true circle.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the wrench served from the opposite side thereof. v

Fig. 4 is a side elevational View of the wrench as observed from below Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the Wrench as observed from below Fig. 3, the wrench being here shown on a reduced scale, and as being operatively engaged with a jar closure for applying same to a jar.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, I0 and II designate a pair of relatively rigid arcuate arms which are lapped and pivotally connected at adjacent ends thereof as at I2. The other end of arm I is pivotally connected at .I3 to the free end of shank I4 of an operating handle I5. The shank I4 is provided with an elongated slot I6 and the other end of arm II is provided with a headed pin Il extending through said slot for movement lengthwise thereof. The arms I0 and I I are relatively thin in directions normal tovtheir planes.

The shank I4 and handle I5 thusprovide a lever arm for the arcuate arms IIJ and Il whereby the arcuate arms are caused to expand or contract by their movement about `pivot I2 upon movement of the handle I5 in one or the other lateral direction. The wrench further includes a plurality (preferably three) of relatively thin yieldable gripping shoes I8, each of which has suitably secured thereto a bracket I9 which is pivotally secured at 2li to the arm I0 or arm II.

In the structure as illustrated, the arm IU is provided with two of the shoes I8. while the arm II is provided with only one thereof, but other arrangements clearly fall within the scope of the invention, it being important however that the shoes be arranged with their vertical centers substantially equally spaced around the arcuate arms I0 and II.

The wrench as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 is engaged with a jar closure for removing same, while the position of the wrench as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 designates a closure being tightened on a jar. It is, of course, necessary that the Wrench be reversed from closure applying to closure removing position since the movement of the handle I5 in one direction only causes a gripping action between the shoes I8 and the closure.

The wrench is shown in fully expanded position in Fig. 2 and while this is the closure reas obceiving position and the arms I8 and II must be contracted for rm gripping of the shoes I8 with the closure, the figure has however been used to illustrate the action of the yieldable pivoted shoes I8. In this gure it will be seen that the shoes I8 are all capable of pivotal movement and due to the yieldable characteristics of the shoes I8 they may assume spaced arcs of a true circle designated as C. The closure to be applied or removed is of course smaller in diameter than the circle C, but the action of the shoes I8 as illustrated. will prevail when the closure is engaged by the shoes upon contraction of Y the arms I and II from the expanded position v Y of Fig. 2 to substantially the positions of Figs. 1 and 3.

This provides for a uniform gripping actionci the shoes on the closure or lid of the jar cir-Y cumferentially thereof whereby the lid Vis appliedv to or removed from the jar more easily, and

whereby the lid may be tightened with greater certainty. The' shoes I8 are preferably of a height at least equal to the depth of the closure 'or lid as is clearly shown in Fig. 5` wherein the Wrench is shown in position for tightening a lid L ona jar J, the shoes preferably extending beyond both sides of the arms. This substantial height of the shoes not only provides for a greater closure gripping' area, but it also avoids localized Vpressure with such resulting damage Vto the cl'osure as has been experienced with wrenches of this general character heretofore provided or proposed.

While the wrench herein disclosed is particularly adapted for use with the later type of unifo'rmsiz'edjar lids or` closures, it is well adapted forv use with closures or other circular articles o' varying diameters since its construction is such that the gripping shoes readily conform to Athe surfaces of the closures or other articles due Ato'their pivotal and yieldable action.

While' I have disclosed my invention in accordance withfa single specic structural embodiment thereofgsuch is to be' considered as y pivotally connected, an operating handle including a shank, the other end of one of said arms being pivotally connected to the shank, the other end of the other arm having a sliding connection with the shank, whereby the arms may be expanded and contracted upon lateral movement of said handle, and a plurality of yieldable arcuate gripping shoes disposed within said arms and pivotally connected thereto, said arms being relatively thin normal to the planes thereof and said shoes being of substantial dimensions in directions normal to said planes and projecting beyond both sides ofsaid arms.-

' 2. A jar closure Wrench comprising a pair of relatively rigid arcuate arms for surrounding a closure to' be applied or removed, said arms being relatively thinin the direction of the axis of said closure, said arms having adjacent ends thereof pivotally connected together, a handle including a shank, the other end of one of said arms being pivotally connected to theV end of: said shank, said shank being provided with an. elongated slot, the other end of the other arm having a headed pinr loosely disposedA in, said slot, a plurality of yieldable arcuate gripping, shoes disposed within said arms, a bracket carriedl by each of said shoes and including a portion over'- lying a side face of a respective arm, andpvotal connections between said portions of thebrackets and said arms, and said.' shoes being of relatively thin yieldable material which extends a. substantialdistance on opposite sides" of said brackets and circumferentially of. the arms for enhanced yieldable action'when` engaged with variable dl.- ameter closures.

HENRY FREDHOLM.

REFERENCES' CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 743,227 Biehn Nov. 3,1903 931,765 Keck et al. Aug. 24,Y 190.9

1,104,530 Meredith July 21 1914 1,410,390' Dudek` Mar. 2l, 1922 1,485,474 Allen et al. Mar.. 4; 1924 1,614,328 Thompson Jani, 11', 1927 1,659,599 Gibson Feb. 21, 1928 

